The Story of Foxface
by Forever913
Summary: We all know the illusive 'foxface'; District Five tribute, sly and clever, tragically dying from accidentally eating a berry. Or do we? What happened in District Five? What is her past? If she was so clever, why did she die? And maybe, most importantly, what is her name? Read on if you want to know the answers...
1. Chapter 1

In the outskirts of District Five, sat a red headed girl. She was salvaging a day of rest, free from the electrical hum and whirr of the power station. Free from the dull beige work suits. Free from the electric wiring and circuits. But not free from worry, nor danger. For today, was the day of the Reaping.

The girl, her name was Taryn, and she was in a fit of worry. And whenever this worry took hold, she left to the outskirts and dragged it out of her soul by just sitting and staring. People in her district called her mad when they saw her doing it, so she came her, to the hills. Since the Dark Days, there had been electrical fences surrounding each district and to get to the hills, she must climb over them. Being from District Five, the power in these fences were stronger than any other district and she had to take extra care with this task.

But Taryn was tall, long legged and slim, she could easily scale it. Just as long as she didn't trip.

From the high hills, Taryn could see District Four, its glittering seas, its busy ports and the liveliness of it. That's where she wanted to run to. She would often dream of living there. Swimming, or at least, learning to. Lying on the beach, in the sun, wondering where the sea ends. She wanted a dress made from the colour of the sea, blue, tinted green and shimmering. She wanted to be rich, afford fine foods, not the tesserae, fine clothes, not scratchy woollen jumpers that were illegally imported from District Ten. She could run there. She knew it.

Taryn looked back at her home, it was small, but she could see it from where she was sitting. Her twelve year old sister, Shey, would be attending the Reaping for the first time today. Now, her father would be getting her ready, promising she wouldn't get picked. It's only her first time after all.

After Taryn pulled all the worry from her, she made her way back down. She watched the fence, analysing it. She always did this, even though she had succeeded in jumping it every time. She had to though, how could she not when she had once watched a friend die this way? It was always re-enacted in her head, whenever she saw this fence.

She was eleven, and had been to the hills for the past two years. It was wondrous, she had decided, and wanted to share it with her best friend, Lotren. They ran from school, just as the final bell rang, racing each other to the beautiful hills. The broken sole on his boot flapped as he ran making him sound like he was trying to take off.

"Watch this!" Taryn called behind her. She gracefully leaped over the buzzing wires, landing safely on the other side. "Come one! It's easy!"

Lotren looked doubtfully at the wire, crinkled his forehead in determination, and leapt. For a split second, Taryn saw the triumph, the excitement, the wildness on his face, just as the broken sole caught on wire, and pulled him towards it. His body lit up with sparks, electric, the smile replaced by terror, screaming. All Taryn could do was watch.

When the life drained from him, like the life drains from a battery, she ran to the hills to hide, and when she came down, she took a different route, one that wouldn't let her see his body.

When the Peacekeepers found him, there was no further investigation, he had just accidentally tripped as he was trying to leave District Five. He was alone.

Shey ran to Taryn as she opened the door. She buried her face into Taryns scratchy jumper.

"You look beautiful. You know that?" Shey looked up with her massive green eyes. Her massive teary green eyes. She was dressed in a simple white blouse and black skirt. Her long brown hair, curled down her arms and back.

"Dad found one of mum's old dresses, its on the bed."

"Thank you." Taryn kissed Sheys forehead and went into the bedroom.

She could remember her in that dress. It was strapless and floral, floaty and elegant. She could she her spinning, laughing, happy. Taryn would have killed to see her again.

Her mother had been dead for three years, the year when she turned twelve, old enough to sign up for the tesserae. Her mother, worked in the power station, where Taryn now works, and like Taryn, she was one to drag out her worry. But instead of achieving this by doing nothing, she achieved it by doing everything. Her long, graceful fingers worked through the circuits, joining them, cutting them, supplying power to the Capitol. But electrical accidents such as fires and electrocution were not rare. A fire broke out as her mother worked harder than ever, her first child at the risk of being chosen for the Hunger Games, the televised fight to the death, only one out of twenty four could come out. Whether it was her mother or someone else who actually started the fire, it was never discovered, but thirty seven workers died, including men, women, teenagers and her mother. Her father never really recovered, he still stares out of the window from her rocking chair, some times, they catch him looking through her belongings, trying to find something to hold.

The dress was almost beautiful on Taryn as it was on her mother, in her opinion. She hated watching herself spinning in the mirror. It looked to much like her mother. She tried to avoid her father, she didn't want to remind him of her.

Taryn clutched Shey's hand as they made their way down to the Justice Building. A woman from the Capitol stood at the top of the steps, a clear bowl on either side of her. She was dressed in obscene orange, her hair spun into a tall tangerine spiral. Her dress was polka dotted, orange netting underneath, giving the skirt enormous volume. She smiled through her mad Capitol make up, making Taryn just hate her more. How could she smile? How could she be so happy when two children, any child that she could see, maybe Taryn, maybe even Shey, will die in this blood thirsty TV 'show?'

Taryn directed Shey where to stand, she had done this for two years already. She watched Shey, standing near the front with the other twelve year olds, while Taryn stood in the middle with the fifteen year olds. Every few minutes, she would catch Shey turn around, searching for her. Taryn gave her a reassuring nod. They watched the film of the Dark Days, and as it finished, Taryn caught her fathers eyes in the outside crowd, he looked terrified. He could be losing either one of his children today.

They were snapped out of the trance as the orange Capitol woman stepped forward.

"Ladies first!" She spoke cheerfully though her microphone, her hand hovered daintily over the bowl on her left. She plucked a piece of paper from the bowl and held it up before reading it out.

There was a great silence as everyone held their breath.

"Taryn Goodwin!"

All the worry that Taryn had lost during the time at the hills, flooded back. She wished she could go there now. She wished she could be any where than here now. But instead, she walked calmly out to the space between the boys and the girls, past her sobbing father, past her sobbing sister, and to the stage. The smiling orange woman just grinned madly at her, as if Taryn had won an award.

Stiff as a pole, Taryn stood there, not looking down at the relieved girls, nor her crying sister but over at the boys, who would be picked this year?

"Marcus Gray!"

Taryn winced. Not Marcus. This was Lotrens seventeen year old brother. She didn't want to see him any day of the week, but especially not today. He had always hated her since Lotren died. He had seen her go to the hills and knew immediately it was her, but never said anything. She supposed she should have been grateful, but she didn't want to give him a reason to tell the Peacekeepers who it was, just by her talking to him.

He walked up to the stage, staring at Taryn the whole time. She noticed a man and a woman clutching each other, crying. His parents.

"Shake hands then!" The orange woman said.

So they did, and his fist clutched her hand a little to tightly. It said, "I knew it was you. I will kill you because you killed my brother." And she felt the truth in it.


	2. Chapter 2

I sat on the green plush couch, twirling my red hair around my fingers. The door opened behind me.

"Five minutes."

A Peacekeeper stood without emotion, a rifle strapped around his back, I caught sight of something in his eyes as he closed the door in front of him. Pity? I wasn't sure. I had never known these servants of the Capitol to display an emotion other than anger or annoyance.

Shey rushed into my chest, tears flowing freely down her face.

"Why did you have to take the tesserae so many times?" She managed, before bursting into tears again. My father just stood, watching me, tears slowly trickling down his face. He knew he would be losing me, like he just mum. He knew I couldn't fight, I was weak. I wouldn't last a day.

My next visitor was someone I would have never expected to see any where near me, let alone in the same room, by ourselves. River Smyth sat opposite me and held my hand. This was Marcus girlfriend, I did not know how to react.

"If he hadn't of been chosen, I knew he would of wanted to be here, to give you this."

Her eyes were red and puffy, I had not noticed her crying face in the midst of girls. Her hand opened mine, and placed a necklace in it, a gold lightning bolt, a symbol of our district.

"It was Lotrens, he wanted to give it to you when you turned sixteen. We decided to give it to you now, just incase you didn't... you know..."

Survive?

River started sobbing, she seemed very emotional, despite the fact she didn't know me very well. I wondered if Marcus cared for me at all, this could have been a sign of friendship. Thank you for being his friend, it might have said.

Then, the realisation hit me. This wasn't just our district symbol, this was Lotrens symbol. Maybe the hand shake hadn't meant a death sentence, could it have been a reassuring handshake, promising to help me in the arena?

When I looked back to River, she was getting up, leaving. She paused at the door.

"Good luck." she said, and left.

I was alone with my thoughts and questions for the next half hour, before the Peacekeepers came to take me to the Capitol train. The train to the Hunger Games.


	3. Chapter 3

I sat quietly, awkwardly on the beautiful lilac sofa. I faced the wide screen TV but kept glancing over at Marcus who sat hunched over, his eyes closed, unmoving, silent.

I watched the reapings from districts six to eleven, non were very different to any other. A girls name was called. Her family cried. A boys name was called. His family cried.

But twelve... twelve _was_ different. A girls name was called; "Primrose Everdeen" a little blonde girl, she must have been twelve. Poor girl, it was only her first time.

She reminded me too much of Shey. I didn't like it.

I could imagine my pain if she was picked, her shivering, shaking body, her quivering lip, telling herself to be brave as she would walk up the steps of the Justice Building.

That was the reason my heart lurched, not only as Primrose Everdeen stepped forward, but as a older girl, around seventeen, eighteen, rushed forward.

Her words were mine if I had seen Shey at those steps.

"I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!"

Both girls were crying, the Peacekeepers created a ring around the older girl, Primrose Everdeen was carried away screaming by a boy who could have been related to the older girl, they looked very alike.

A pink Capitol woman smiled just like the orange woman as the older girl stumbled up the stage. "Effie Trinket" was written at the bottom of the screen. I hated Capitol names, yes, it sounds childish, but they're just so stupid.

The girl spoke her name into the microphone, her voice breaking in fear.

"Katniss Everdeen."

She must have been her sister.

A boy, Peeta Mellark was chosen. He nervously walked up to the stage, I could tell they knew each other, it was the same as me when Marcus walked up.

Katniss Everdeen did not want him to be there.

That became apparent as she shook his hand. Her face mixed with emotions, but I could tell she would have had any boy from her district standing there except Peeta. The name "Haymitch Abernathy" popped up as well as a drunken, unshaven, dishevelled man lurched around the stage, gave a surprised Effie Trinket a tight hug before falling off the stage, getting up to shout at the camera before Peacekeepers pulled him away. The mentor for these two tributes.

'Good luck' I thought to myself as the two exchanged expressions as they realised he would be instructing them to win the Games.

I jumped as Marcus sat next to me. I hadn't heard him get up.

"You would have done that for Shey, wouldn't you?"

I nodded.

"Yes. You would have done that for Lotren."

I knew to late that I had crossed a line. But Marcus only clenched his fist before replying.

"Yes."

There was a silence which felt like it lasted forever.

"I'm sorry," I said finally, "I'm so sorry."

Marcus stood up. "I forgive you. But only because that's what Lotren would of done. He adored you, you weren't just his best friend, you were his world."

He left, not looking back, barging past the orange woman, leaving me with my thoughts.

The orange woman looked startled but seeing my head in my hands decided to back off. Now obviously wasn't the time to talk.

So, she left to. And that's when I came to realise what I must do. I had to do it. For Shey, for Primrose Everdeen, for Lotren. I must help Katniss Everdeen win. And I would have to die.


	4. Chapter 4

And so, for the next week or so, it was fine dining, luxury compartments and beautiful clothes. I wished I could have been happy, it was what I wanted, wasn't it? But amidst every dazzling Capitol item, there was always the reminder that they were treating us like animals, fattening us for slaughter.

Marcus remained in solitude for most of the time we were in the Capitol. He ate in silence, he never spoke to the orange woman nor our mentor. It took a few days for us all to become familiar with this.

I found out that the orange woman's name was Valencia Tangerine. It made me wonder if she had named herself, after her outrageous style, or she had fitted her outfit and make-up around this name. If she had lived in district five, or any district at that, she would have been mocked and humiliated, but here, she fitted in, it was us that were the outsiders.

Our mentor was a little too cocky for my liking, she told stories of how she won the games seven years ago when she was eighteen. She boasted on how clever, strong and skilled she was, how she used a tazer that was hidden at the bottom of the cornucopia. This tazer extended to about 4 feet, she had killed about three tributes with the higher setting, stunned five, then cutting their throats. She laughed at how easy it was, completely unashamed of the fact she was a murderer.

She had teamed up with the Careers at the start, pretending to be underestimated her, that was her plan, and then, when the Careers were the last alive, they decided to turn on each other. And our mentor killed them all, shocking some of them through their metal weapons, others straight in their chest.

I felt sick. I left the table, I decided there and then, I would not team up with the Careers. Not that they would want me anyway...

On the day of the chariot ride through the Capitol, it was an early start. I changed into a simple green t-shirt, jeans and brushed my hair, letting my auburn hair fall down my back. Marcus had also dressed simply. This was not what we would be wearing, our outfits had already been designed by our stylists.

We arrived soon enough, and straight away went to the beauticians who did every possible make up routine that probably ever existed. They waxed, painted, drew and plucked, until my body felt numb.

After this painful ordeal, I was taken to my stylist. She had lightning bolt earrings, a bright gold dress with a lightning bolt design on it, her hair was died platinum blonde with lightning bolt hair accessories tied in.

"Hello District Five! As you can tell, I'm a big fan of your... er... work. We enjoy power and electricity very much in the Capitol."

Another Capitol citizen I hated. She was wearing Lotrens symbol. It's not for her to have.

I glared at her, unanswering.

"Well then, my name is Patricia Sparks, and you are...?"

"Taryn Goodwin." I mumbled through my gritted teeth.

Lets get this over with then.

She dressed me in a silver gown that glittered in light. A silver disc was placed on my head. 'My district is creating power, not extra terrestrials,' I thought as I made my way to the chariots.

I caught Marcus just before the chariot ride started, he was scowling with his ridiculous costume, but his face gave what must have been a smile as he saw me in my costume as well. We both looked preposterous.

"You look... nice," he managed before he started to grin, and then began laughing. This took me by surprise, I had never heard him laugh before.

"So do you," I said, giving a sly smile, then knocking his disc to one side so he lost his balance and fell over. I helped him up, grinning, as the speakers turned on, telling us we had twenty seconds before we would be going out.

As we climbed in the chariot, I held my breath. There was District Four in front of us, they also had unfortunate outfits, what looked like a blue shawl with an extravagant headdress covered in blue jewels. Behind, was District Six, a gold gown with a gold horn that was placed around their heads. Relieved we weren't the most ridiculously dressed, I forced a smile on my face as our chariot pulled out into the light. I blinked at the light, stopped myself from clamping my hands around my ears from the roaring noise of the Capitol audience and waved. I heard Claudius Templesmith and Ceaser Flickerman commenting on the other tributes. Apparently, District Two wore gold armour with winged helmets, something I wouldn't mind wearing. But to be honest, I'd rather be wearing anything other than this clown suit.

Suddenly, the audience grew louder, I heard the commentators raise their voices in surprise.

"Oh well! What's this! It seems District Twelve is... yes! District Twelve is on fire!"

I had to see this. I turned my head, and sure enough, within the glowing light of the final chariot, was Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. They were in a black suit, fire roaring around them. I saw them holding hands high in the air. Katniss Everdeen caught a rose that was thrown to her. She sniffed it and blew a kiss to her adoring fans before holding it up with her other hand.

And from that moment on, everyone knew her as; "The Girl on Fire".

But I always knew her as the girl who volunteered.


	5. Chapter 5

And then came the day of the training. I was worried, what was my talent?

I had seen Marcus using an electric tipped blade back home, they were only offered to those who were over sixteen, and more likely to be chosen for the Hunger Games.

But that was his talent, not mine. I had nothing to really say I was good at other than school work.

'I was clever,' I thought, an idea forming. 'I learn things quickly.'

And that's what I would show the Gamemakers.

I dressed in a black tank top and trousers, an orange '5' printed on my back and on an armband. I tied my hair back in a tight bun. I figured I would spend most of my time at the knot tying station or something, since I had no physical strength.

I met Marcus in the hallway before we went down the lift. He dressed similarly to myself and still had a grimace on his face. I couldn't imagine him without it any more.

Soon, we had arrived at the training centre. Marcus and I split up, he left to the man-to-man combat station, while I loitered around the knot tying station.

'What was I doing here?' I thought 'I know how to tie knots!'

Then, I noticed the plant station. Nobody was there at the moment, so I decided to move in, before any one else had the same idea as me. I didn't want to look like I was doing nothing.

As soon an I touched the grey pad in front of me, a huge screen lit up with plant diagrams, names, families, properties and sketches. I skimmed through them all by swiping the pad with my hand. I drank in the information.

Once I gone through all seventy something, I chose a task. A grid of plants came on the board. Near the bottom of the screen, was written; _'Select plant one by one on range of deadliest'_

I knew this one.

Immediately, I tapped _'Nightlock'. _This was _definitely _the most deadliest plant there. What could have passed as an innocent berry was in fact the type of plant that would kill you stone dead in under ten seconds.

I continued to select the plants until all were gone. Disappointed at the lack of challenge, I looked around the room.

Marcus was battling a metal dummy that held a similar sword to his. He avoided lunges and parried with finesse, and quickly sent it flying back against the wall in a flurry of sparks as he sent a powerful lunge of his own.

I was distracted by a shout as a tall, monstrous boy from Two. He was screaming the boy from seven.

"WHERE'S MY KNIFE?! I KNOW YOU TOOK IT!"

He had his fists around his collar while the boy choked, trying meekly to explain it wasn't him.

A whistle went off and Atala, the training instructor, pulled him off.

"Save it for the arena, there'll be plenty of time to kill each other then,"

The small, dark haired girl, also from Two, put her hand on his shoulder.

"Come on Cato, I have more in my belt,"

He turned back to the knife throwing station when I noticed the tiny girl from eleven up high in the metal rafters playing with a long, professionally crafted knife.

I smiled, she seemed brave.

Cato was a strong opponent. I made a note to avoid him as much as I could.

The centre was full of noise, metal on metal, shouts of annoyance or triumph or idle chit-chat as the tributes got to know each other, deciding who to ally with once they were in the arena. I got to work on the plant station again, I wanted to know exactly what plants I could eat in the arena. I knew I couldn't hunt and I seriously doubted I would be getting any sponsors.

I was halfway through another task when the room went silent. I turned to see what made this happen, when I spotted Katniss Everdeen firing arrows in the archery station. Everyone was watching her, she hadn't noticed yet.

I followed the other tributes gazes as I realised she was shooting endless arrows with skill into the eyes of the small mechanical birds that flew around the wall at the back. They fell to the floor one by one. She never missed once.

When all the birds were on the floor, she stopped and turned, seeing all the astonished faces watching her.

No one had seen a District Twelve tribute do this well before.

She smiled awkwardly and pressed a reset button on the wall. The 'dead' metal birds melted into the floor and more flew down from the ceiling.

Everyone turned back to their stations and I noticed the look of obscene anger on Cato's face.

She was the first on his hit list.


	6. Chapter 6

I kept my idea secret on what I was going to show the Gamemakers. Not only was it meant to be secret, but what I was planning was risky. What happened in the training centre is never meant to leave there, and danger could arise if it got around. I didn't want trouble from the Capitol from what I had in mind.

Marcus had told us what he was going to do. He made sure our mentor, Selena Grahm, had it embedded in her mind so she would stop questioning him. She as a past winner should have been living at District Five but the Capitol has been more her taste. For all intensive purposes, she was their spy.

And it scared me.

Marcus has chosen to show off his skill with a electric sword, no harm there, but I could be in serious peril if she found out what I had in mind.

She tried to interrogate me as well. One night at dinner, she started asking questions. Marcus and Valencia had already finished and gone to bed. Her questions fired at me like the arrows Katniss Everdeen shot earlier.

"What weapon are you good with?"

"Which tribute is the most powerful?"

"Have you chosen allies?"

"What's your first rule in surviving?"

"What do you think are your chances of winning?"

And finally-

"What will you show the Gamemakers?"

So, I made my excuses and left, avoiding her deadly gaze as I made my way to my room. I noticed for the first time that on my table was some sort of remote. Picking it up, I stroked its thin, sleek surface.

I jumped as the huge window changed, turning into a scene of the Capitol streets. In disgust, I stared at all the people, their huge, multicoloured hair and outfits and ridiculous, outrageous outfits.

Hurriedly, I changed the scene, a desert.

No, I changed it again.

After four more images of various scenes, I saw one that made me stop.

Hills, close to the sky, lay out in front of me. I longed to be there, sitting on top of the hills, calm and serene, without worry. Blue sky and the sun seemed so real, the grass tossed about in the summer wind.

But it wasn't.

All it is was Capitol imagery, it didn't exist. Pressing the button on the remote, it turned off, back to the dark night.

I felt a tear fall down my face and I wiped it off, annoyed that I was showing weakness when I should be strong. Then, I sighed, crawled into the bed and fell asleep.

Then, it was the morning. The morning of the day in which we would show the Gamemaker's what we could do. Nervously, I pulled off the heavy duvet and made my way to the dining room. As soon as I sat down, Selena was asking me question after question. I ignored her as I daintily began to eat, moving my leg to avoid her kick.

"Hey, just leave her alone, alright?" Marcus had entered the room and he sat down, a heavy scowl on his face.

She backed off as he raised his knife and fork, slamming them into the table. Valencia, who was watching some Capitol programme, called from the sofa, "Darling, you do know that table is made from mahogany, don't you?"

Marcus growled and she backed off as well.

Taking deep breaths, we lined up outside the Gamemaker's room in order of district. I stood in the middle, between the boy from four and Marcus. One by one, the tributes left, entertaining the Gamemaker's with their skills.

I couldn't help but think back to Valencia's words earlier that morning;_ "Now remember to be polite, _Seneca Crane_ will be present!"_

If only she had known what I had in mind.

Soon, it was my turn and I made my way into the room

Via the scenic route.

"District five!" They called, bored after watching eight young adults already.

I approached the box that the Gamemaker's were in, keeping my back to the wall, hiding in the shadows. Carefully and cautiously, I reached into their coats, one by one, retrieving random items, diaries, pocket watches and wallets.

"District five!" They called again, now aggravated by the late tribute.

"What is taking her so long?" I heard one man say as my hand went for his pocket. I snatched it back as he turned to someone beside him.

After taking a purse of coins, decorated in the Capitol logo, I crept back to the main door. When I heard a final, "District five!", I entered the room, hands behind my back. The Gamemaker's signalled for me to begin and I simply faced them, holding out what I had stolen. There was a sudden uproar as the man searched their pockets, finding their belongings stolen.

"Who did you bribe, girl?" One Gamemaker shouted out.

"No, she must of taken them herself, I put that wallet in my pocket no more than a few minutes ago!"

"It would explain why she was so late."

Seneca Crane, I recognised him from his... interesting beard, began clapping.

"Bravo, bravo." He stood in front of the other Gamemaker's, not really that bothered that I held something of his. "You're crafty and sly, that might become useful in the arena."

He signalled for me to leave, so I threw the men's belongings back to them, slightly disgusted as they crawled around on the floor like animals to retrieve them. Seneca Crane however caught his pocket watch in one hand as it sailed through the air, his other arm behind his back, a wry smile on his face.

"Thankyou," he said, and I was unsure how sarcastic it was.

I then left, looking behind only once to see the men make their way back to their chairs, trying to maintain some of their dignity.


End file.
